Top burner ignition system



Feb. 7, 1956 J. l.. LUNDGREN TOP BURNER IGNITION SYSTEM Filed April 5, 1952 United States Patent C) "ice 2,733,761 Tor nURNER IGNmoN SYSTEM This `invention relates to an automatic ignition system for gas burners, 'and particularly to such a system for 'igniting the top burners on a gas stove.

It is an object of this invention to provide a novel ignition system for a gas burner in which an ignition pilot burner is lighted 'automatically` in response to the opening of a shutoff valve for the main burner and in which the pilot burnerremains lighted for a time interval following the extinguishing of themain burner. p It isA also an"object of this invention to provide a novel ignitionsystem for a gas burner in which `the gas supply to an'ignition pilot burner is initially responsive to a shutoff valve for the main burner, and in which after the lighting of the pilot burner there is established an auxiliary/gas supply to the pilot burner for maintaining the latter lighted for a time interval following the closing of the, shutoff valve for the main burner.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel ignition system for a gas burner in which the gas supply 'to an ignition pilot burner is under the control'of a pressure responsive valve prior to the lighting of the pilot burner, and in which after the lighting of the pilot burner there is established a gas supply to the pilot burner which is independent of the pressureV responsive valve; e

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel ignition system for a gas burner which ifncludeseapressure responsive valve in the gas supply line to the ignition vpilot burner which opens in response to the supplying'of 'gas lto the main burner, and in `which following thelighting of the pilot burner there is established an auxiliary gas supply to the pilot burner for maintaining a flame at the pilot burner independent of the pressure responsive valve for a time interval following the shutting off of the Agas supply to the main burner."

A still further object of this invention is to provide va gas burner ignition system in which in the respective gas supply lines for the main burner and for an ignition 'pilot burner there is provided a pressure responsive valve which opens in response to the opening of a shutoff valve for' vthe main burner to supply gas to the main burner vically in the accompanying drawing for thepurposeof illustrating the ,principles of this invention.

In the drawing The single figure is a schematic view of the gas burner ignition-system of the present invention. v

` Referring to the drawing, the main burner 1 is here shown as being of conventional construction for use as a top burner on a gas stove, lalthough the system of the` present invention is not to be considered as being limited 2,733,761 Patented Feb. 7, 1956 to this particular type of gas burner. The main burner 1 receives its gas supply from agas main 2, which communicates through a valve housing 3 with the manifold 4 leading to the mixer tube 5 for the main burner. A shutoff valve 6 of conventional design is located between the manifold 4 and the burner mixer 5 to provide the primary control for the gas supply to the main burner 1. Shutoif valve 6 is under the control of a conventional manually actuated control knob 7.

TheA secondary control means for the gas supply to the main burner 1 isprovided by a pressure responsive fiapper valve 8, which is located in the valve housing 3 between the gas main 2 and the manifold 4 leading to the main burner. Valve 8 is hinged on a pin 9, to which it is connected at its upper end, so that the valv`e`8 isV normally biased by gravity to assume the position shown in the drawing. Valve 8 extends across the interior of the Valve housing 3 and includes a metal plate 1 0 at its back side and a facing 11 of rubber or other resilient material at its inner side. As shown in the drawing, normally the pressure responsive valve 8 is seated against the valve seat 12 formed by the internal boss 13 in the valve housing 3. At this valve seat, the metal plate 10 at the back side of the pressure responsive valve 8 is cut away to permit the gas pressure at the back side of the valve to force the resilient facing 11 of the valve snugly against the valve seat 12. A bleed hole 4S extends through the flapper valve Sto equalize the gas pressures on opposite sides of the valve when the shutoff valve 7 is closed.

rhe internal boss 13 in the valve housing?, is formed with a gas passage 14 which leads from the valve Seat 12. This valve passage 14 communicates with a conduit 15,`which leads through a T-ttmg i6 and conduit 17 to an ignition pilot burner 18. Thus, when the valve 8 is open (away from its seat 12) there is provided a gasV supply for the pilot burner 18 which extends from the gas main 2through the valve housing 3 past valve seat 12 into the gas passage 14, conduit 15, fitting 16, and

conduit 17 to the pilot burner 1S, which gas supply is arranged to maintain the pilot flame level above a predetermined minimum. Pilot burner 18 is in igniting relation, through a conventional horizontal ash tube 19, with the main burner 1. As indicated in dotted lines in the drawing, a fitting 20 and an auxiliary conduit `21 leading to another ignition pilot burner may be provided, in case it is desired to have the pressure responsive valve control more than one pilot burner on the stove.

The gas passage 14 also communicates with a chamber 22 in which is located a exible, pressure responsive diaphragm 23, which carries a mobile switch contact 24 adapted to cooperate with a fixed contact 25. The mobile and xed contacts 24, 25 are connected respectively to the conductors 26k and 27 of an electrical power circuit leading through a step-down transformer 28`from a plug 29 connected to a conventional source of -120 volt house current. Normally, with the valve 8 seated against valve seat 12 and consequently with no gas pressure in the chamber 22, the switch contacts 24 and 2S are spaced apart and the electrical power circuit is broken. However, when gas under pressure'is supplied to the chamber 22 the switch formed by contacts 24' and 2S is closed, the power circuit is adapted to be completed through a normally closed switch 30, which is of the small, precision, snap-acting type, to the ignition coil 31 for the pilot burner 18 for lighting the gas issuing at the pilot burner.

Switch 30 is thermally responsive to the pilot burner 18 to open automatically following the lighting `of the pilot burner for de-energizing the ignition coil 31. To this end, there is provided a bimetallic member 32 which carries a button 33 for operating the plunger 34 of determined gas supply from said supply line to the pilot burner to maintain a predetermined llame level at the pilot burner, a pressure responsive valve in said pilot burner conduit means operative to open vto supply gas to the pilot burner in response to the opening of said shutoff valve, means for igniting the pilot burner responsive to theopening of said shutoff valve, an auxiliary pilot burner conduit connected to said supply line and leading to the pilot burner, a norm-ally closed valve in said auxiliary pilot burnerV conduit controlling the flow of gas there through, ignition control means actuatable from a normal position to a displaced position to render said pilot burner igniting means inoperative, and thermal responsive means controlling said ignition control means and operatively connected to said normally closed valve to control the opening and closing of the latter, said thermal responsive means being operative in response to heat from said predetermined pilot llame at the pilot burner after the ignition of the `pilot burner to actuate said ignition control means and to opensaid normally `closed valve to provide an auxiliary gas supply to the pilot burner which is independent of said pressure responsive valve and less than.,

said predetermined gas supply, said auxiliary gas supply maintaining a reduced flame at said pilot burner while said ply line, a main gas burner, conduit means for supplying gas from the supply line to said main burner, a shutoff valve in said conduit means controlling the ow of gas to the main burner, a pilot burner in igniting relation to the main burner, means for igniting the pilot burner, pilot burnervconduit means providing a gas supply from the supply line to the pilot burner, a pressure responsive valve in said pilot burner conduit means operative in response to the opening of said shutoff valve to supply gas to the pilot burner for ignition by said pilot burner igniting means, an auxiliary pilot burner conduit connected to said supply line and to the pilot burner for providing an auxiliary g-as supply to the pilot burner, ignition control means actuatable from a normal position to a displaced position to render said igniting means inoperative, a normally closed `valve in said auxiliary pilot burner conduit con trollingl the flow of gas therethrough, and thermal re sponsive means operative following the ignition of said pilot burner for actuating said ignition control means to render said pilot burner igniting means inoperative and for opening said normally closed valve to provide an auxiliary gas supply to the pilot burner which is independent of said pressure responsive valve to maintain a reduced level ame at said pilot burner for a time interval following the closing of said shutoi valve while said pilot burner igniting means is maintained inoperative, said thermal responsive means being operative after said time interval to permit closing of said normally closed valve and return of said ignition control means to said normal position.

4. A gas burner ignition system comprising a gas supply line, a main gas burner, conduit means providing a gas supply from the supply line to the main burner, a shutoff valve in said conduit means controlling the ow of gas to the main burner, a pilot burner in igniting relation to the main burner, pilot burner conduit means providing a gas supply from the supply line to the pilot burner, a pressure responsive valve in said pilot burner conduit means operative to open to supply gasto the pilot burner responsive to the opening of said shutoff valve, means for igniting the pilot burner responsive to the opening of said shutoff valve, an auxiliary pilot burner conduit leading to Athe pilot vburner and connecter! to said supply line for providing an auxiliary gas supply to the pilot burner, a normally closed valve in said auxiliary pilot burner conduit, and thermal responsive means controlling said pilot burnerr igniting means and operatively connected to said normally closed ivalve and po sitioned to be responsive to heatffrom' the pilot burner, said thermal responsive means being operative in response to heat from the pilot burner` after the latter is ignited to render inoperative said pilot burner igniting means and to open said normally closed valve to establishV an auxil` iary gas supply tothe pilot burner which is independent of said pressure responsive valve, said thermal responsive means being operative to maintain said pilot burner igniting means inoperative and to maintain open said normally closed valve a time interval following theI Yclosing of said pressure responsive valve, said auxiliary pilot burner conduit during said time interval supplying gas through said normally closedvalve to the pilot nburner" Y sufficient to maintain said pilot burner igniting means'inoperative.

5'. A gas burner ignition system comprising a gasA supply line, a main gas burner, a pilot burner inigniting relation to'the main burner, conduit means providing a gas supply from the supply linewtoV the main burner, a shutoff valveinsaid conduit means controlling the flowo'f gas to `the main burnerya pressure responsive valve in said conduit means between said shutoi valve and said supply line, said pressure responsive valve including a member positioned in said conduit means and movable between opened and closed positions, said member when in its closed position extending completely across said conduit means so that no gas may ow past the member, a pilot burner conduit for supplying gas to the pilot bumer connected to said pressure responsive valve to have its gas supply under the control thereof, said pressure responsive valve being operative in response to the pressure differential at the opposite sides of said member resulting from the opening of said shutoff valve to move to its open position and permit gas to flow through said conduit means to the main burner and through the pilot burner conduit to the pilot burner and being operative to close when said main shutoff valve is closed, and means for igniting the pilot burner when gas is supplied thereto.

6. A gas burner ignition system comprising a gas supply line, a main gas burner, main burner conduit means providing'a gas supply from the supply line to the main burner, a shutoff valve in said main burner conduit means controlling the tlow of gas to the main burner, a pilot burner in igniting relation to the main burner, pilot burner conduit means providing a gas supply for the pilot burner, a pressure responsive valve in said pilot burner conduit means controlling the ow of gas therethrough, said pressure responsive valve including a member disposed in said main burner conduit means between said shutol valve and said supply line and movable between opened and closed positions therein, said member when in the closed position thereof extending completely across said main burner conduit means so that no gas mayd ilow through said conduit means past said member, said pressure responsive valve being operative in response to the pressure differential on opposite sides of said member resulting from the opening of said shutoff valve to move to its open position and permit gas to ow through the main burner conduit means to the main burner and through the pilot burner conduit means to the pilot burner, means responsive to `opening of said shuto valve for igniting the pilot burner, an auxiliary pilot burner conduit leadingL to the pilot burner and communicating with said supply line, a normally closed valve in said auxiliary pilot burner conduit controlling the tlow of gas therethrough, ignition control means actuatable from a normal position to render said ignitng meaf'ps inoperative, and thermal iasaaaaiya aiaanwaaiativ l @aia .iaaitiaa manfisa wa.. .Stfaaaa aampriaing, amai yiaaaas .la ih@ maia fi'valve. in. Said. Candaitzmaaas bafaarfa pilotbam @a and aparaliy? .Oaaaadi y.al1..lsar.iia,- niter in ignitingNv relation to the pilot burner, a prelssixi'e naapoasiva .switch -.C.oat.ral1ias. the aaaigizaiiaa af Said.. igtivetp lose-to omplete the epergiz'atioti cigguitar 'n .raapana.-.1a--saa arasaurafallawiila tha. apa rig-.afa Said allarmi; .val-ve, an auxiliary PlOt.; .bllnf a: canduitflaading to the; Pilat .harnas and. waaaidalo iary pilot burner valve in said auxiliary pilot burner coniliariaal-iaspaasiva.maaaa;apaiativalyaaaaaiadfio sa va-aiiiliaiy Pilat 'lia-raar. ,valvefaid..iaapaiiaiva la aaai fram alla flame inalla.pilatburnar,v .aada normally smaad; Swiiall aaairalling .saidV ignilary and l.caatrfxllad.Y by..sai i al .raspansiva meaaa, Said illarmal .raspvrlaivamaaaa lairlgoparaiiva'in .raspansaio lighting O flhapilaibar:

aai-.to apanaaid aoriilally clasd yswitch i0. da-anrgiza tha imitan-andra @van said auxiliary pilot-burner. valva @..Piavidayaa auxiliary gas Supply follia pilaibuiaa wliiali isaindapandaatof Saidmain'huraaryalve, .Said lharmal .raaadnaivamaans being oparativaio maintain.

said auxiliary pilatbaraar valYa @Pan .faratimeliateival .fa @Wing .tha .claaiagpf Said maia burner, Shaiollvalva' aad while Said igaiter .ramains da-energizad-by .Said xaspaaaiva means. Said: auxiliary pilatfbaraaa valva whilafaaaa followngiliaalosingaf. `Said. main bank eatshaioiivalva maintaiaiaga ama .at ,Said Pilat bi1. a.: which iaiilsaliiaiant to maintain Said lhaIrIlal .raspan va maans Yapaiativa to retain. .Said normally clQSed sw.. al1

g operi-after said time. interval.

.said-...condaitmaaas to Sapplyfgas1-iaille Pilat .hamer-'ins dependentoisaia huiQtf'v-valaaa. ormally daaadaaxil Yi*.tIilef'fences Cited in the file of this patent 'Y UNITED STATES PATENTSVV 

